1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup capable of reading information from an optical disc and a drive apparatus including such an optical pickup.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, short-wavelength laser light has been used in order to realize high recording density on optical discs. In accompaniment with this, the distance between the optical disc and an objective lens at the time of recording/reproduction has been decreased. Therefore, the possibility that the optical disc and the objective lens collide against each other and are damaged is raised. Damage of the objective lens deteriorates the optical characteristics of the optical pickup. Thus, it is necessary to prevent the optical disc and the objective lens from being damaged as a result of contacting each other while the optical pickup is driven.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-73224 discloses an optical pickup including a plurality of lens protectors. In this optical pickup, when the optical disc and the objective lens approach each other abnormally closely, the optical disc and the plurality of lens protectors contact each other. Thus, the contact between the optical disc and the objective lens is prevented. In addition, among the plurality of lens protectors included in the optical pickup, a lens protector which is close to the objective lens is located at a higher position than the other lens protectors. With such a structure, even when the optical disc in an inclined state approaches the objective lens abnormally closely, the plurality of lens protectors contact the optical disc before the objective lens. Thus, the optical pickup is prevented from colliding against the objective lens.
Recently, optical pickups have been desired to be more and more compact. However, the above-described optical pickup, which includes a plurality of lens protectors in the vicinity of the objective lens, needs to have a large space for the lens protectors. Therefore, such an optical pickup has a problem of not being reduced in size easily.
As the number of times an optical pickup is used is increased, an objective lens thereof is soiled. Therefore, the objective lens needs to be cleaned with a cleaner disc dedicated for objective lenses.
The present invention, made in light of the above-described, problems, has an object of providing an optical pickup capable of preventing an optical disc and an effective region of an objective lens from colliding against each other and also capable of being reduced in size. The present invention has another object of providing an optical pickup capable of cleaning the objective lens efficiently while preventing the optical disc and the effective region of the objective lens from colliding against each other. The present invention has still another object of providing a drive apparatus including such an optical pickup.